Between security and the right to well-being
Europe, and by extension Spain, finds itself at one of those historic moments where budget decisions cease to be mere numbers and become a declaration of values. We are at a crossroads where the priority of deepening the welfare state clashes head-on with a world that has become more hostile, demanding, and uncertain.
The domestic front is urgent. Inequalities are widening, and basic needs are becoming colossal challenges in the face of a constantly growing population that is straining all our public services. Access to housing has become the major bottleneck for social cohesion, while healthcare and education—the pillars of our prosperity—demand investment that not only maintains them but also prepares them for a digital future and to face new challenges.
The great challenge for the European Union is not to fall into the false dilemma of choosing between "guns or butter." The best defense of a democracy is not just its tanks, but the strength of its institutions and the quality of life of its citizens. A society with an overwhelmed healthcare system, precarious education, and obsolete infrastructure is a weak society in the face of any threat.
Improving well-being is not a luxury; it is our best weapon for the future. If our house is strong, orderly, and knows how to welcome its people, we will be able to weather any storm that comes from outside.
Lluís Figueras Barrabeig
Barcelona
Social media: it is forbidden to forbid
President Sánchez has announced his intention to prevent minors under 16 from accessing social media. Other countries, such as Australia, already have similar measures in place, and others like France and Portugal are considering doing so. But to what extent are these prohibitions appropriate and realistic? The measure undoubtedly stems from good intentions. The aim is to protect minors from a space full of information, but also manipulation, violence, hatred, lies, and harmful content, such as pornography. Furthermore, social media can be addictive, and addictions are never good.
However, trying to prevent digital natives from accessing the digital world is like trying to fence in the open countryside. It's a smokescreen. In a globalized world, without global legislation, young people will find ways to circumvent any prohibition.
This debate is as old as humanity itself: prohibiting for the sake of prohibiting never yields the desired result. The forbidden is more appealing. Instead of blocking access, it's necessary to promote responsible use: educate, support, and explain the real risks of the networks.
Francesc Pibernus Vinardell
Torroella de Fluvià
A memory for you, Vanessa
You were murdered on Thursday, January 22nd. You were 19 years old. I had you in my class when you were 13, after you arrived from Latin America. You loved volleyball at school. I remember how passionate you were about passing the ball, setting it up, trusting the team. You knew that if you missed, someone would help you get the ball back.
In real life, however, you had to play alone far too soon. You didn't find teams or safe paths. In Hospitalet, a man killed you, and the ball fell without anyone to help you pick it up. Life didn't follow the rules of the game you loved so much: trust, support, and camaraderie.
The newspapers will talk about a "murdered woman." I will remember a student who knew how to play as part of a team, who trusted others, and who still had her whole life ahead of her.
Your teacher mourns you and will always remember you.
Sara Galiana Steinbrüggen
Barcelona